The best advice I can give to someone who is supporting a loved one with depression or any other mental illness, is to be informed. Read up on the problems your loved one is suffering from (it sounds liek depression, right?). Empower yourself with knowledge. Opening yourself and accepting that you can't fix the problem all the time is really important. If he is suffering from depression he needs some help from a professional, there's absolutely no shame in that. I hope you can help him find the help he needs. Good luck sweety.